Railroad-track-laying apparatus.



Patented lune 25, l90l.

G. F. H. HICKS. sAlLaoAn Truck LAvma APPARATUS.

(Application lad Mar. 26, 1900.) (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet l.

1%, ...v H.. Nmwhw.

"Patented lune 25 Ism.

s. r. H. mcKs. RAILROAD TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

(Application led Mar. 28, 1900.) (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

wh HIM No. 676,893. lPatented lune 25, 190|.

G. F. H. HICKS.

RAILHAD TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

, (Application flle Mar. 26, 1900.)

(Nolodel.) (s 7 Shetsw-Sheet 3.

No. 676,893. Patented June 25, mol. a. r. H. Hicks.

RAILROAD TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

(Applimion med Mar. 26, 19m.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

The rau-mm wimmmou. o. c.

No. 676,893. Patented lune 25,1901. G. F. H. HICKS.

RAILROAD TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

f (Application filed Mar. 26, 1900.) (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

No. 676,893. Patented lune 25, |901.. E. F. H. HICKS.

BAILRUAD TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1900.) (H0 Model.) 7 Sheeis`8heef 6.

m. @www No. 676,893. l Patented lune 25, |901.

e. F. H. Hlcxs. RAILRUAD TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

(Application med Max'. 26, 1900.)

7 SheeVs-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)

ams vrins co mow L f U Nrrnn STATESN Arent Irrsinn@ GEORGE F. H.IICKS,'OIF CHICAGO, ILLINOS.

RAILROADTRACK-LAYING APPARATUS.

Fil

PECEFJICA TECN forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,893, dated J' une25, 1901.

Application filed March Z6, 1900. Serial No. 10.146. (No model.)

To all whom it muy concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE F. ll'. HICKS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad-Track-Laying Apparatus, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad-track-laying apparatusdesigned for promoting the convenience and rapidity of handling bothties and rails in the construc-` tion of railroads and in whichfiat-cars are employed for storing the ties and rails, but provided withspecial superstructure for subsequently conducting both the ties-and therails to the forward end ofthe train, from which they are laid in theiroperative position.

My invention relates more particularly to railroad-track-layingapparatus in which heretofore the rails have been piled or stacked atthe center of and entirely across the platform of a flat-car and boththe rails and the ties conducted from their point of storage to theforward and laying end of the train of cars by means of tramwaysarranged at the outside or sides of the flat-cars, projecting beyondsaid side or sides, and also to other structures in which the rails arepiled at the sides of the cars and conducted to the forward end of thetrain upon trucks arranged on a narrow-gage tramway at the center of thecar, while the ties are conducted to the forward end of the car upontrucks running upon broad-gage tramways and substantially broader thanthe railway-track being laid.

The prime object of my invention is to centralize the devices both forconducting the rails and the tiesto the forward end of the l pense withcars for transporting the rails to the forward end of the train and atthe same time provide tramway-cars for the ties of such construction asto reduce the handling of the ties to a minimum from the original pileson the iiatcars until the time they are discharged from the train uponthe road-bed, while at the same time providing for increasing the numberof men that may be employed upon the flat-cars for transporting the tiesfrom their original piles to the road-bed, and yet furnishing each manwith his full share of continuous work in such transportation, wherebyties may be handled upon a train of any length without a correspondingloss of time, as now occurs, and yet every man so employed do a fulldays work not otherwise pos sible in prior modes of construction.

Still further objects are to so centralize the tramways and devices forconducting the ties and rails to the forward end of the train thatdistortion of the tramways in. running a train of cars around a curveshall be reduced to a minimum, to provide means whereby when adjacentsections of tramway are in differing planes, owing to a correspondingposition of the fiat-cars, there shall be no substantial obstructionresulting therefrom to the delivery of the tramcars or of the rails fromone dat-car to another in conduct ing them toward the forward end of thetrain, and in this connection to provide a novel means for joining railends upon adjacent cars and at the same time means for connecting railends on such cars when the distance between them is or may besubstantially varied.

Vith these ends in view my invention consists incertain features ofnovelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts bywhich the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearingare attained, all as fully described with reference tothe accompanyingdrawings, and more pariicularlyipointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of a sectionof a train of flatcars upon which my invention is mounted and so muchthereof as shows the original piling of the ties thereon and thetramwaycars and devices for transporting said ties to the forward end ofthe train. Fig. 2 is a further section embracing the pioneer-or for IOO. the train.

Ward-end car and an adjacent car upon which the rails are piled. Fig. 3is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of thepioneer car. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal detail section of' the pioneer carenlarged and showing the position of. the dumping-car at the moment ofdumping the ties upon a railroad-bed. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of arailcarrying car and more particularly showing the manner of piling therails thereon, the means preventing their falling off the outer sides,and the devices by means of which said rails are transported to theforward end of through one of the tramway-rails and also a step-blockproviding means for transferring tion. Fig. 10 is a side elevation ofthe loading-car. Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 12 is atransverse vertical section taken on the line 1212, Fig. 11. Fig. 18 isa side elevation of an/c-nlarged detail of the tie-loader. Fig. 13m is atransverse detail on the line 1313 of Fig. 13. Fig. 14 is a sideelevation of the carrying-car. Fig. l5 is a j transverse section throughthe carrying-car and tie-trestle on the line 15 15 of Fig. 16,

' elevation of the same.

showing.therelative position of these two devices after the carrying-carhas discharged its load upon the trestle. Fig. 16 is a side Fig. 17 is aside elevation of the trestle and the dumping-car in position before theties upon the trestle are loaded upon the dumping-car. Fig. 18 is asimilar view showing the positions of the dumping-car after the ties areloaded upon the dumping-car from the trestle. Fig. 19 is a top plan Viewof the tie-trestle and dumping-car in the position shown in Fig. 17.Fig. 20 is a side elevation of the dumping-car. Fig. 21 is a top planView of the same. Fig. 22 is a transverse section of the dumping-car onthe line 22 22 of Fig. 21. Fig. 23 is an enlarged detail View of thedumping-car latch shown in Fig. 21. Fig. 24 is a side elevation of thetramway-rails, illustrating the mode of connection thereof between theflat-cars of a railway-train. Fig. 25 is an enlarged transverse sectionof the same on the line 25 25, Fig. 24E. Fig. 2G is a detail transversesection through the tramway-rails, illustrating the position of therails to their supporting-ties at a point midway of a flat-car. Fig. 27is a similar view showing the relative position of the tramway-rails ator near the extremity of the fiat-car and whereby provision is made fortheir liexing when the fiat-cars are turning a short curve on arailroad. Fig. 28 is a detail sectional View of a modified andextensible form of Fig. 7 is a transverse section connection of thetramway-rails between the ends of adjacent fiat-cars. Fig. 29is asimilar view of the same in an extended position. Fig. 30 is an enlargedtransverse section on the line 30 30, Fig. 29. Fig. 3l is a longitudinalcentral sectional view through the tramway-track, principallyillustrating means for alining railway-rails lying indiffering planes inorder to make a fish-joint connection thereof; and Fig. 32 is anenlarged similar section illustrating means, principally an incline androllers in differing planes, for guiding railroad-rails along thetramway and 'from fiat-car to flat-car when said cars are in differingplanes owing to unevenness in the railroad-track.

Like signs of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

A, A', A2, A3, and A4 indicate ordinary railroad flat-cars, on which isremovably mounted my track-laying apparatus and which are also utilizedfor carrying railroad ties and rails to be laid therefrom. As shown inthe drawings, A and A are cars upon which ties are stored, and A2'A3,and sometimes A4, cars upon which railroad-rails are stored. Length-.Wise and centrally the width of these fiatcars is a tramway-track B,which is made continuous between the cars, as indicated by deviceshereinafter particularly described.

On the tie-carrying cars (see Fig. 1) the tramway-rails 1 1 aresupported on top of ties 2, laid crosswise of the fiat-cars; but on therail-cars the tramway-rails are let into the body of the ties 2 bycutting out the ties, as shown in Figs. 6, 26, and 27, for purposeshereinafter described in detail. On these tramway-rails are piledtransversely of the fiat-car ties C, as shown in Fig. 1, and on eachside of the tramway-rails, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, are piledrailroad-rails D, but lengthwise of the flat-car, the said rails when sopiled being prevented from falling off the sides of the cars bystandards d, (see Figs. 6, S, and 9,) pivoted at d at their lowerends toties 2, so as to swing downwardly out of the way when loading rails ontothe car, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, and locked in theirupright position by latch e, pivoted to the ties 2 at f, and soconstructed that when swung against these standards in its uprightposition it will lock the standards in that position by passing apin gdown through a perforation g in the latch and into the tie 2.

E indicates a tie-loading car, F a tie-carrying car, G a tie-trcstle,and H a dumpingcar, all so designated for convenience because ties areloaded from the pile onto the car E, then transferred to the car F,which carries them to and loads them upon the tietrestle, whence theyare loaded upon the dumping-car, on which they are conveyed to theforward end of my track-laying apparatus, and thence dumped upon the bedof the railway upon which the tracks are being laid.

One of the important objects of my invention is to avoid as nearly aspracticable the IOO IIO

erases lifting and handling of the ties from the time they are takenfrom the pile C until they are discharged upon the road-bed, and to thisend and as one of the means for accomplishing this object I employ atie-loader77 I, (see Figs. 1 and 13,) consisting of two parallel piecesof angle-iron so bent as to fori@ one or more steps t' and inclines t"t', each of which angle-irons have their lower ends bent horizontallyand respectively project between and in a plane below the tread of thetramway-rails, as shown atz`2, the lower ends of the angle-irons beingeach supported on and from the tramway-rails by flange-wheels i3, running on top of the tramway-rails, which wheels are secured to andconnected by a shaft i4, having its bearing in brackets i5, bolted 0rotherwise secured to the angledrons, as indicated in Fig. 13. The upperends of the angle-iron tie-loader I have bent portions t, the anges ofwhich are embraced by chairs if t7, bolted or spiked to an end sill 3 ofthe tie-loading car, and are locked in their operative position by pinsi8, passing through the flange t, projecting beyond the sill 3, so thatsaid pin will embrace the rea'r sides of chairs t? or the end sill 3, asmay be. As thus constructed the tie-loader is detachably secured to theloading-car and being mounted upon wheels 3 is free to travel upon thetramway-rails 1 1 with the loading-car.

In loading the ties from the pile C a man standing on each side of theties at the loader rolls and principally slides the ties up thetieloader to the loading-car without having to lift them farther than topile them on the loading'ear, as indicated, and as a result much heavylabor in the transferring of the ties from the pile C to the loadingcarE is avoided.

The loading-car E consists in part of a baseframe composed of side sills4, connected together by the end sills 3, before referred to, and thesills 5 6, mounted upon track-wheels 7 7 in pairs, connected by shafts 99, journaled in bearings 9a 9, ot' ordinary construction, bolted to theside sills. On the sills 5 6, which lie in a plane below the sill 3, areplates 10, upon which rest rails 11 11, which rails are about double thelength of the car between the inner side of the sill 3 and the outerside of the sill 6, which rails are connected at their forward andprojecting ends by a rod 12, next which 4they are provided with adepression 13 13, as clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Inside andparallel with this trackway 11 is another shorter narrow trackway formedby rails 14 14, likewise resting upon the plates 10 and projectingslightly beyond the sill 6,Whieh rails 14 have recesses 15 15,corresponding with the recesses 13 in the trackway 11. Running upon thetrackway 11 are fianged wheels 16 16, connected by an axle 17, and uponthe rails 14 are similar wheels 1S 18, connected by an axle 19, thedistance between the wheels 16 18 corresponding with the distancebetween the depressions 13 15.

The wheels 16 18 sup! `may be used to raise or lower the rails 11 14 tounload either directly upon the carrying or dumping car, which is lower,as may be desired. This sliding frame is the support for ties whenloaded from the pile C upon the loading-car, at which time the slidingframe is shown in the positionit appears in Figs. 1 and 11; but tounload the ties from the loading-car to and upon the carrying-car it isrun forward until the wheels 1G and 18, respectively, drop into therecesses 13 and 15, as hereinafter explained. In order to hold thesliding frame positively in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 11 andprevent its being accidentally moved forward upon the rails 11 and 14, aplate or bar 22 (see Figs. 11 and 19) is bolted to the rearwardV sill 21and provided with an upturned or loop end 23, projecting rearwardly ofthe end sill 21, forming the locking device of a latch consisting of abar 24, (see Figs.21 and 22,) pivoted at 25 to the sill 3, having itsforward end provided with a hook 26 (see Fig. 11) and its rear endpivotally connected with a sliding lever 27, extending at a rightV anglethereto and projected beyond the side of the car, where it terminates ina knob or handle 2S,`which when pulled outwardly swings the latch 24upon its pivot and disconnects its hook from the keeper 23. To preventthe lever 27 from being accidentally pulled out and the latchdisconnected, thellever (see Fig. 23) is provided on its under side witha lug 29, which when the lever is in its normal position engages with astop 30 in such a manner that the lever must be slightly lifted todisengage the lug 29 from the stop 30 before the lever can be pulled outwardly to disconnect the latch from its keeper, the weight of the lever27 being suflicient to prevent the accidental disconnection of the leverfrom the lug. The sliding frame is limited in its rearward movement bystops 29, fixed on the sill 3 and against which the ends of the siderails 2O (see Figs. 10 and 11) abut.

Next the loading-car, as shown in Fig. 1, is the carrying-car F, socalled because designed to receive the ties from the loadingcar andcarry them either to the tie-trestle Gr or the dumping-car H, as may be.This carrying-car, as shown in Figs. 14 to 16, inclusive, consists of aframe composed of side sills 31 31 and end sills 32 32, rigidlyconnected together and mounted upon two pairs of wheels 34 35, each pairbeing connected by axles 36, journaled in suitable blocks 37, secured tothe side sills 31. The side sills 31 are provided at a short distancefrom each end with recesses 33 38, and running on these side sills aretwo pairs of small wheels 39 39, secured in an ordinary manner upon theinside of a slidable frame composed of side bars 40 The slidable frame40 and end bars 41 42.

IOO

IIO

is provided with a locking device consisting of a loop or keeper 22 onthe sill 24, engaged by a hook 23, (not shown,) but similar to that onthe corresponding part in the loading-car, which hook is on the end of alever 24, pivoted at 25 on a cross-sill 25a of the rigid tram'way-frame, which said lever extends to the rear end of the car, at whichpoint it is pivoted to a hand-lever 28, projecting beyond the car in thesame manner as shown in Fig. 11. In other words, the-latch device forthe slidable frame on the carrying-car is similar to that on theloading-car in all respects save that the lever 24 is longer, and saidlatch device is operated and locked against accidental displacementprecisely the same as the device shown on the loading-car in Fig. 1l.

In order to prevent the ties piled on the sliding frame of thecarrying-car from rolling oif its forward end during the operation ofsaid car, I provide vibrating standards 43, Figs. 14 to 16, which have avertical portion 43a, a right-angle bend thereto, 43", and an obliqueportion 43C, which standards, there preferably being two, are eachpivoted at 44 through their right-angle bend portion to the respectiveside sills of the slidable frame, the oblique portion extendingdownwardly and confined between two pins 45 46 on the side bars 31 ofthe rigid frame when the sliding frame is in an elevated position, withits rollers 39 on the upper edge of the bars 3l,

' and for receiving ties from the loading-car two cars together againstmovement.

and conducting them to the tie-trestle G, hereinafter described, inwhich upright position the standard 43 is locked by the pins 45 46 untilthe latch is unlocked by the operation of the hand-lever 28.

In operating the loading and carrying cars the ties are transferred upthe tie-loader I and piled upon the loading-car E and the carrying-carpushed up to the loading-car, or vice versa, as may be, until thecoupling-hook 47 on the rear end of the carrying-car, as in Figs. 1 and14, engages the pin 48 on the loading-car, (see Fig. 11,) and thuscouples the The ends of the rails 11 11 are beveled on the under side oftheir forward ends at 12a, (see Fig. 10,) and the carrying-car hasrollers 39@ in boxes secured to the cross-bars 41 42, which the inclines12a on the rails strike, and are lifted when for any reason theloading-car is in a lower plane than the carrying-car. The trackway 1111 being narrower than the sliding frame of the carrying-car passesbetween the side bars 40 thereof and is of such a length that itprojects well toward the forward end of the carrying-car, and while inthis position the sliding frame of the loading-car is pushed forward onits double trackway until its wheels drop into the depressions 13 15 ofthese respective trackways, and the distance between the top of thesliding frame of the carrying-car when in its elevated position is suchrelative to the depressed sliding frame of the loading-car that the tiesthen rest upon -the sliding frame of the carrying-car, which is thenuncoupled from the loading-car and run forward to the tie-trestle, nowto be described.

'Ihe tie-trestle consists of two horses, each comprising the usual siderails 49 49 and standards or legs 50. The side rails, however, Figs. 1,17, 18, and 19, are provided with depressed portions or recesses 51 51,and on each of those side rails is a slidable beam 52 52, mounted uponrollers 53 53, the rollers being journaled between downwardlyprojectingstraps 54 54, of which there are two, embracing each rail at both of itsends, as shown in Fig. 19, or, in other words, there are four'pairs ofthese straps, which, for purposes hereinafter described, project downbelow the lower edge of the side rail 49 of each horse. When in positionto receive ties from the carryingcar, the slidable frame of thetie-trestle is in the elevated position shown in Figs. 1 and 17, andwhile in this position the carrying-car after receiving its load of tiesfrom the loadingcar is moved forward between the horses of the trestle,and then after the latch of the carrying-car is unhooked the frontwheels of the car striking against, a block 80 stop the car, while themomentum of the nnhooked sliding fra-me carries it ahead on the fixedframe thereof until its wheels enter the depressions 38 38, as shown inFig. 16, in which position the ties will then rest on the slidable bars52 52 of the tie-tresrle and in position to be transferred therefrom tothe dumping-car, now to be described in connection with other details ofthe tie-trest le cooperating therewith.

The dumping-car (see Figs. 17 to 22, inclusive) consists of a framecomposed of side bars55 55, 011e end bar 56, (see Fig. 5,) and a centralcross-bar 57, the end of the side bars forward of this cross-bar 57being open, the said frame being mounted upon two pairs oftramway-wheels 58 58 `on axles 59, journaled to or in the side bars 55.Mounted upon rollers or small wheels 60 running on the upper edge ofthese side bars, and which. are without depressions, as in the tram-carsbefore described, is a slidable frame composed of side bars 61 ofsubstantially greater length than the side bar-sof the car proper,connected by cross-bars 62 63, to the bar 63 of which is secured thelatch-keeper 22, engaged by the hook 23 on the lever 24, pivoted to thecrossbar 57 at 25, and having pivoted to its rear end a hand-lever 27,projecting at a right angle thereto and beyond the side of the car andterminating in the handle 28, which locking device is similar in allrespectsto that shown in Figs. 11 and 23 and is designed for locking theslidable frame against accidental forward movement on the carrying-frameand to release the same when it is desirable to dump the ties therefrom.

On the under side and toward the forward ends of the side bars 61 issecured a transverse beam 64, which projects down below the upper edgesof the side bars 55 of the car and IIO substantially beyond the sidesthereof, which Y bar has secured near its outer ends angular plates 6565, adapted to engage inclined faces 66 on latches 67, pivoted at 68 onthe forward end of the horses of the tie-trestle, and swing the sameupon their` pivots, as will now be described. The latches 67 havearearwardlyprojecting arm, on whichis ahook 69, (clearly indicated bydotted lines in Figs. 18 and 19,) which hook is adapted to engage thestrips 54 and lock the slidable bars 52 52 in their elevated position,as shown in Fig. 17, the latches being thrown out of en gagement'withthe straps by the striking of the inclined plates 65 on the beam 64against the inner inclined face of the latch, as indicated in'Fig. 19,when the dumping-car is pushed to a position between the horsesconstituting the trestle. About the time or just after the striking ofthe beam 64 against the latch at 66 the standards 73 strike the ties onthe tie-trestle. The result of the impact is to force the sliding barsto travel rearwardly until the wheels 53 descend into the pockets orrecesses 51 in the side bars 49 of the tie-trestle, thereby depositingthe ties on the side rail 61 of the dumping-car.

The horses forming the tie-trestle are braced and made removably rigidin their operative position, as in Fig. 19, by bars 70, of which thereis one at both ends of each horse, which bars are bolted or otherwiserigidly secured to the legs of the horses and abut against thetramway-track, but may be clipped thereto.

The side rails 61 of the sliding frame of the dumping-car are preventedfrom lateral movement on the side rails 55 of the car proper by plates71, as shown in Figs. 19, 21, and 22, bolted at their lower ends to theinner sides of the side rails 55 and engaging with hars 72 72 on theside bars 61 by overlapping the upper edges of said bars 72 72 or by adovetail or any other connection as may be that will allow the slidingframe to move freely, but without lateral displacement. The slidingframe is also provided with standards 73 73, pivoted to the rails 6lthereof at 74 at the juncture between a horizontal and upwardlyextendingport-ion thereof and a downwardlyprojecting arm 715, whichdownwardly-projecting arm is held in a vertical position and thestandard proper in an upright position by a stop 76, Figs. 20, 21, and22,when the sliding frame is in its normal position, receiving ties fromthe tie-trestle and conducting them to the forward end ofthe train,which arm, however, is automatically released and the standards causedto swing downwardly upon their pivots when the sliding frame movesforward in the act of dumping the ties from the forward end of the trainupon the road-bed, as shown in Fig. 5.

After the d u mping-car has received its ties from the tie-trestle it ispushed forward on the tramway-track unt-il its forward wheels 5S strikea cross-beam 77, Fig. 5, at the end of the tramway-track, beyond whichcrossbeam the ends of the rails of the tramwaytrack are bent downwardly,as shown at 78, and form a stopfor the beam, preventing the car frombeing pushed backward by the back pressure of the unloading ties. Justprior to the tie-car reaching the beam 77 the latch locking it to thecar proper is released by raising and pulling outwardly the knob 28, andas a result of this releasing of the sliding frame the striking of thecar-wheels against the beam 77 causes the sliding frame to slide forwardand beyond its center of gravity on the car-frame, and as a result tipthe rear end of the car-frame upwardly and the forward end of thesliding frame downwardly and dump the ties upon the road-bed. Thestandards being released from their stops 76 swing downwardly by gravityand out of the path of the ties just after this tipping of the carcaused by striking the cross-beam 77, projected in the pathway of thecar-wheel. The operation of these tie loading, carrying, sustaining, anddumping devices as a whole and in practice is as follows: Two menstanding on either side of a pile of ties next the loader take hold ofthe end of the ties, slide or roll them up the tie-loader I onto thesliding frame of the loading-car E, which sliding frame at this time isin the elevated position shown in Fig. 10, and after the car is fully orpartly loaded the loading-car E is either run up to the carrying-car F,or vice versa, or they may approach each other at the same time, anduntil the cars approach close enough together for the hook 47, which isa gravity-latch, to hook upon the pin 48, at which time the rails 11 areprojected between the side rails of the loading-car to about the forwardend thereof and in such a position that when the sliding frame of theloading-car is pushed forward until its rollers 16 and 1S enter theirrespective depressions 13 15 in the rails 11 14 and deposit the tiesupon the sliding frame of the carrying-car F, which frame at that momentis in the elevated position shown in Fig. 14. In practice the hook 2b ofthe latch device maintaining the sliding frame of the loadingcar againstan accidental forward movement is released just before the cars strikeeach other in making the coupling, and as a result the momentumautomatically carries the sliding' frame forward until the wheels 16 18of its double trackway enter their respective depressions to deposit theload of ties on the carrying-car. As soon as the loadl is so depositedthe loading-car is returned to the pile of ties C and its sliding framepushed back to its original elevated position, when it is ready toreceive another load of ties. In the meantime the carrying-car F ispushed by the men at the rear along the tramway-track until it entersbetween the horses of the tie-trestle, imm ediately before which theattendant takes hold of the knob 2S of the latch device and unlocks thesliding frame of the carrying-car from its base-frame, which is the carproper.

Just before the carrying-car F reaches the IOO IIO

proper point to deliver its load of ties upon the tie-trestle theforward wheels 35 of the carrying-car, as shown in Fig. 16, strike theblock 80, laid across the tramway, and as a result the momentum causesthe sliding frame 40 to move forward from the position shown in Fig. 14on the rails 3l of the car proper until its rollers 39 enter theirrespective depressions 33 38, which results in depositing the load ofties on the carrying-car F upon the tie-trestle G, and in thisconnection it should be observed that in the initial forward movement ofthe sliding frame the arm 43c of the standard 43 is released from thepin 45, and as the wheels 39 descend into the recesses 38 the pins 46,by sustaining the arm 43, cause the standard 43 to sink below the ties,as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 16. With the ties thus deposited uponthe tietrestle and with the sliding frame of the tietrestle in theelevated position shown in Figs. 1 and 17, the dumping-car, with itssliding frame in the position shown in Fig. 20, is run back between thehorses of the tie-trestle, its sliding frame in the meantime beinglocked by the latch devices 22 23, the., before described and as shownin Fig. 21, and with its standards 73 in the upright position shown inFig. 2O and there held by the stop 76. As soon as the incline-stops 65on the beam 64 strike the incline-faces 66 of the latch on thetie-trestle the latch is disengaged from the straps 54, and thereuponthe standards 73 on the dumpingcar, striking the ties on the horses,bodily push the sliding frame of the horses backward until the wheels 53enter the depressions 5l, and thereby causing a deposit of its load ofties upon the d umping-car. The dumping-car is then moved out from thetietrestle, the frame of the tie-trestle elevated in its first position,ready to receive another load, and the du mping-car pushed to theforward end of the tramway-track, and immediately before reaching saidend the hook 23 of the locking-latch is thrown out of its keeper and thecar pushed forward strikes the stop or beam 77, and by its momentum thesliding frame moves past its center of gravity on the dumping-car properand dumps its load, the standards 73 immediately being lowered out ofthe way by gravity, as shown in Fig. 5.

It should here be observed that the forward movement of the slidingframe of the dumping-car is limited and stopped by means of upright bars71, bolted to the rigid frame of the car engaging a cross-bar 62 on thesliding frame, but preferably against a rightangle bend 72 on the rearend of the bar 72. From the foregoing it will be seen that I haveprovided a series of tie-transporting devices of such character that thelabor of transporting the ties from the flat cars upon which they arestored is reduced to a minimum, since there is practically no bodilylifting ofthe ties from the time they are taken from the pile C untildumped on the road-bed, and such little lifting as there is is confinedto the twomen at the pile C, whose work in this regard is so lightenedby the use of the tie-loaderl that they are able to do a continuous fulldays work, when under prior methods of handling ties the men can onlywork in relays of but a few hours at best.

The construction and arrangement of the several tie-transporting devicesprovide for the rapid handling of ties without fatigue upon long trainsof fiat-cars witlra minimum number of men and in such manner that eachis able to do a full days work, it being estimated, for example, that intrains of ordinary length and especially when taking ties from welltoward the rear end thereof and they are always stored rearwardly of therailsthe use of a single car from the pile of ties C to the forward anddumping end of the train will require the attendant to travel twentymiles per day in an ordinary days work, and as a result of this it hasheretofore been customary to employ two or more sets of men for pushingsaid car, as well as a frequent change of-men handling the ties at thepile. By my construction and arrangement of tie-transporting devices,however, two men at the pile C to roll the ties down to two men loadingand three pushers at each car will handle and deliver upon the road-bedabout twice as many ties in a day and with less fatigue than double thenumber of men couldv otherwise do, and the item of men alone is of thegreatest importance, especially when working where laborers are notreadily obtainable and where the cost of labor is high, and,furthermore, by reducing the number of men to a minimum they may beemployed continuously at the same thing, and therefore become expert andquicker at their particular work than is otherwise possible'.

In arranging the several tie-transporting devices upon the train thetie-trestle is arranged at such distance from the forward end of thetrain that the dumping-car may take the ties therefrom as fast assupplied from the carrying-car and as needed at the roadbed, and owingto the fact that both the loading-car and the carryingcar are readilyand conveniently pushed along the track no time is lost in transferringthe load of ties from the loadingcar to the carrying-car, or if thecarrying-car is not at hand when the loading-car is loaded it may bepushed forward to meet it, while in the meantime the two men handlingthe pile of tics may be rolling down and arranging ties from the pile,ready to supply the loading-car on its return.

In track-laying machines heretofore employed the length of train, andhence the storage of ties and rails thereon at hand for immediate use,has been substantially limited as compared with what may be by myinvention, for it is neither economy as to time and labor to have totransport a single tie-car, for example, from toward the rear end of avery long train, and much valuable time has been lost in substitutingloaded for empty cars or IOO IIO

cutting out empty cars forward of the unloaded ties in a long train, andthis not only because of its stopping the operation of the apparatus,but that the engine is frequently required to back several miles to asiding with the empty cars and for bringing loaded ones forward to thetrain, whereas by my invention the distribution of the force and devicesfor handling the ties is such that they may be handled to advantage notonly on very long trains, but even shorter trains still of too greatlength for practical use under the old methods.

Another feature of my invention is that it is adapted both for trains ofordinary length and ordinary quickness in track-laying as well as forvery rapid track-laying from trains of great length-as, for example,when great rapidity is not essential or desirable the loading-car E maybe omitted and the ties be loaded directly upon the carrying-car F andbe automatically unloaded upon the tietrestlc, or, on the other hand,the tie-trestle G and carrying-car may be omitted and the loading-cardischarge its load directly upon the du mping-car-and to this end theseveral cars may be constructed in the lirst place with ref erence totheir comparative width as to permit all this without any change in thesystem excepting to remove for the time being the cars it is desirableto dispense with.

In Figs. 24, 25, 2S, 29, and 30 I have illustrated in detail devicesconnecting the tramway-rails between adjacent at-cars and in such mannerthat the tread of the opposing ends of the tramway-rails on therespective flat-cars and the tread of the connecting rails orjoints maybe maintained in the same plane at all times and particularly when owingto irregularities in the road-bed the adjacent tlatcars and theirtramway-rails are in differing planes. To these ends 8l Sl indicate, forexample, the ends of the tramway-rails on car A4, (see Fig. 3,) 82 theends of the tramway-rails on carA3, and 83 a piece of a rail a littleshorter but substantiallycorresponding to the distance between the endsof the rails Sl and 82 when the flat-cars are jammed together at theircouplings. Bolted at both sides andin pairs to the rails 8l 82 are,respectively, angle-bars St by bolts 85, the an gle-bars being of suchwidth as to fit between the flange and tread of the rail ends 8l and ofsuch a length as to project about half the length of the angle-barbeyond the end of the rail end 81 and along the rail-section 83, whichrail-section for a corresponding length has its web cut away at each endand on both sides, as indicated at 86, so that it may be dropped betweenand its ends rest upon said anglebars and in such a manner that it isfree to move longitudinally and lock on said anglebars, whence it istherefore readily removable when desired. Both ends of the rail-sectionimmediately over the angle -bars are bent downwardly, as indicated at S7S7, so that however much difference there maybe in the plane of the railends Sl S2 the tread of the rail-section will always remainsubstantially in a plane with the tread of said rail ends, and by thismeans the tramway-cars have a continuous tread upon which to pass fromone fiat-car to another instead of an abutment being` otherwise formed,either by the end of the rail or the rail-section, while on the otherhandthe devices employed consti tute a simple, durable, and perfectconnection, avoiding this objection; but instead of bending the railends the free ends of the angle-bars may be bent down to accomplish thisresult.

Insteadof employing the rail-section 83 (shown in Fig. 2i) as aconnection between the tram wayrails of adjacent flat-cars, anextensible device, such as shown in Figs. 28,29, and 30, may besubstituted therefor, particularly when the distance between the railends Sl 82 is substantially greater than that for which the rail-section83 is employed, or, on the other hand, when this distance is shorter byreason of Hat-cars of differing lengths or greater lengths being used,as frequently happens, by reason of which there is a greater or lessdistance between the rail ends 8l S2 than the rail-section S3 isdesigned to bridge, as will be readily understood when bearing in mindthat the tramway-rails laid on the flatcars are always of the samelength.

The telescope-coupling referred to consists of two tubes SS 89, theformer of which ts within the other, the outer ends of which tubes arescrewed or otherwise secured to castings 90, each provided wit-h treads91, inclining downwardly toward the rail ends 8l S2, which castings arewithout flanges and project between the angle bars or plates Se Set inthe saine manner that the rail-section S3 projects between itscorresponding anglebars, which angle-bars are bolted to the rail ends Sl82 by bolts 85 S5, as before described. The lower or web portion of thecastings 91 is provided with longitudinal slits 92, in which work bolts93, passed through the angle-bars S4, whereby said castings may have alongitudinal movement and also a vibratory movement, limited only by thetread thereof,which, as before stated, rests upon the angle-irons, andas a result such connection may have and does have a very considerableextensible power, and, furthermore, is rendered extensible and flexibleto such a degree that it is adapted to maintain a continuity between therail ends 81 82 over a distance between them and around curves where therail-section 83 would not, and, furthermore, provides when kept with therest of iny traclclaying paraphernalia a quick and convenient means ofconnection under circumstances when the rail-section S3 would not servethat purpose, and besides avoids, as is desirable, the necessity ofkeeping in stock rail-sections 83 of diftering lengths. As a means,however, of

lengthening the connection between both the rail-section 83 and thetelesccpin g section rel- IOO IIO

ative to the rail ends S1 82 the angle-bars Sl may be lengthened, asindicated in the right of Fig. 29, and a short rail-section 94:, fromwhich the flanges have been removed, be dropped between the angle-barsand the ends of the castings 90 or rail-sectionSS and the rail end 81,and as it requires but a few of such pieces to meet all necessities forthem they are a desirable addition to these rail-end connections. l

Turning now to the handling of the rails for a railroad, which, as shownin Fig. 6, are piled at each side of the tramway-track, it will be seenthat between the rails of the tramway and at required intervals (seeFigs. 3, 6, and 27) there are rollers 95', upon which rails from therail pile D are transferred to the forward end of the train anddelivered upon the ties previously laid on the road-bed, which rails areentirely handled by men with cant-hooks, and as a result of which andthe rollers require no bodily `lifting whatever. It frequently happens,however, that adjacent fiat-cars, over which these rails aretransported, are in differing planes, as indicated in Fig. 32, forexample, by flat-car A3 and the flat or pioneer car A4, Fig. 2, and as aresult unless some means were provided the rails would have to bebodilylifted; but this is avoided by placing at the rear side of therollers of the forward car an incline 96, up which the rail is deflectedto and upon the roller 95, and to meet any further necessity ofdeflecting the rail in its upward direction there may be employed afurther roller 97, the axis of which is in a plane somewhat higher thanthe roller 95, the roller 97 being used, however, principally when andwhere the forward and further rollers of which are in a plane above theroller 95. If it were not for this incline plane or Wedge 96, the end ofthe rail being transported to the forward end of the car would when theflat-cars are in difn fering planes abut against the rollers to theirinjury and also to the delay in delivering the rail and destroy thatdesirable continuity of delivery and handling which is'necessary both asa saving of time and for reducing the strain' upon the men handlingthem.

In the laying of traclcways it is frequently necessary or at leastdesirable to join two of the rails before their delivery from the car,so that they are delivered upon the ties in pairs already connectedtogether by their fish-plates; but much valuable time is frequently lostin wedging up or lifting the two rail ends in necessary alinement forthe fishplate, for as heretofore accomplished this has been done whenthe adjacent cars are in differing planes by wedging up or lifting therailthrough grappling-hooks. Myinve'ntion, however, provides for a verysimple device overcomingthis objection, and consists, as shown in Figs.3 and 3l, of two bars 98 98, rigidly connected together by a cross-bar99, which may consist of a roller, which bars 9S form levers pivoted,and thereby fulcrumed,

to eyebolts 100,'driven into or otherwise secured to one of thecross-ties of the tramwaytrack. lTith this device when two rail ends tobe joined by a fish-plate are brought to a position shown in full linesin Fig. 31 and with the rail end at the right in a lower plane than theopposing rail end, but resting on the roller 99, said right-hand railend may be by lifting the levers raised sufficiently to insert and boltthe fish-plate to its operative position, as I have frequently done inpractice to V great advantage.

Curves on railways when first laid, and particularly in a mountainouscountry, are very sharp,and much diiiicultyhas heretofore beenexperienced in devising means by which a track-laying machine may roundand lay trackway on these curves without forcing the tramway-track outof jointure for the free travel of the tramway-cars along its length,and particularly across the jointure between two of the fiat-cars onwhich it is supported. To this end, however, in addition to the forms ofconnection between the rail ends S1 82 I have devised a still furthermeans by which the track may be flexed, and have discovered that when,for example, five crossties are used to a flatcar for the tramwaytrack,as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, by spiking the tramway-rails close uptobut the three central ties, (see Fig. 20,) which for convenience I willdesignate as ties 101 102 103, and then cutting out both of the end ties10i 104, as shown in Fig. 27 at 1.05, so as to leave a space betweenthese free end portions of the tramway-rails and these end ties when therails are in their straight and normal position, said rails are allowedto flex on turning a curve, and this flexure, in addition to that of thetramway-rail connection between the cars themselves, is sulicient toenable my track-laying` apparatus to turn the sharpest curves ever usedwithout throwing the rails of the tramway out of perfect alinement. Thetram-rails on the rail-cars are depressed in their ties, as shown, toavoid lifting the stored rails in getting them upon theirtransporting-rollers. In this connection it should be noted that as thetram-rails on the tie-cars are not so depressed the flexing of theextremities of these rails, however, is provided for by spiking the endties outside only and at a point removed from the rails, which alsopermits, when occasion requires, the forcing of the rail extremities toone side or the other, and thus avoiding a bodily shifting of the railfor such temporary requisite.

The car A, which is the forward car, and termed the pioneer-car, becauseat the advancing end of the train, has secured thereon in the usualvmanner sills 106, connected by a cross-beam 107, which projects beyondthe sides of said frame and has secured at each projecting end verticalstandards 10S, over and frornwhich guy rods or ropes 109 are secured,respectively, to bolts 110, Fig. 3, at'the sides and toward the rear endof the fiat-car IOO IIO

erases A, the other ends of said ropes being likewise attached to bolts111 at the forward ends of said frame 106, and by this means said framein its projected position beyond the car is suspended from the car, andas a result provides means for the delivery of both ties and rails at aconvenient distance for laying beyond the forward end of the car A4. Oneof the standards 108 is provided with steps 112 for ascending by alookout-man,where a seat 113, back 114i, and foot-rest 115 are locatedfor his convenience that he may be comfortably situated and in positionto signal to the engineer at the rear of the train the movement of thetrain, and, if desired, to give orders to the men working below, both onthe cars and the road-bed. The forward ends of the sills, as beforedescribed, are connected by a cross bar or bars 77, at the center oflength of which and midway between the tramway-rails is a dependinghanger 116, in which is rigidly secured a fixed axle, (not shown,) oneach end of which, free to re- Volve, are rollers 117, and which supportthe rails after they pass beyond the end ofthe fiat-car A4, Fig. 3, andin using which the rail is pushed or drawn along until it clears thelast roller 95, which, as sho-wn, may be slightly beyond the end of thefiat-car, when the rollers 117 operates as a fulcrum on which the railmay be shifted until its rear end is about in vertical line with the endof the last rail in place on the road-bed, when the rail is lifted offthe free ends of said rollers to its place upon said ties. By having therollers 117 revolve on a fixed axis and independent of each other theyare less liable to wear, and when two rails are being drawn off at thesame time their independence of action prevents the movement of one railthereon interfering with that of the other. As a means for supportingthe rails beyond the rollers 95 and at or near their extremities, Iemploy yokes 120, (see Fig. 4,) the free ends of which pass through thesill 77 and are secured thereto by nuts 121, so that the ends of thetramwayrails projecting beyond the flat-car A4 are practically suspendedin and supported by said yokes. j

By reference to/'Figs 1 and 3l it will be seen that the ties supportingthe tramway-track are higher at points on the pioneer-car A'l than onthe adjacent car A3, and by an examination of Fig. 4 at about a pointwhere the rollers 95 at the forward end of the car are journaled thereis a rise in the trackway. In other words, while the drawings are on toosmall a scale to fully show without great exaggeration the elevation andinclination of the tie-trackway, the tie-trackway is substantiallyabovethe rail-tramway and there is sufficient downward inclination betweenthe rollers 95 and the forward end of the tie-trackway to cause thetie-cars to run alone to the end of the trackwayand deliver the loadwithabove the rail-tramway on the pioneer-car, and particularly abovethe forward end of the flat-car, is to provide space in which tomanipulate the rails in delivering them from the pioneer-car withoutobstruction f'rom the plane of the tie-tramway, for otherwise thetie-tramway would necessarily be so near the plane of the rollers 95 andalso the roller 117 at the extremity of the car that when handling itupon the latter rollers the rear end of the rail, and particularly oftwo rails previously jointed upon the fiat-cars, would project above andstrike against the tie-tramway, thus interfering with its convenientmanipulation of the rail or rails with reference to the upward anddownward inclination of the tie-trackway. It may also prevent the carsrunning away from the attendants and dumping the ties accidentally uponthe roadbed, to the possible injury of the workmen. In Fig. 2 at theright hand thereof is shown a trestle 122, commonly called a dolly which`may be employed in some instances, especially when two jointed railsare heilig drawn from the car to lower or raise the rail lupon it. Thiselevation of the tramway-track is accomplished by sills 118, (see Fig.7,) supported on top of the cross-ties 2, and as a result of whichbottom rails piled on the cross-ties of the pioneer-car, as isfrequently done, are below the treads of the tramway-rails, and as it isdesirable to avoid bodily lifting said rails and to handle them entirelyby rolling them over with grappling-hooks upon the rollersv 95 to conveythem off a train it isfound that by employing a step-block` 119, withone or more steps corresponding in height to the distance between thebase of the rail and the under side of its tread, said rails may berolled up said steps and onto said rollers 95 quickly,

. conveniently, and with the least possible exertion by the same deviceswhich are used in the hands of said men to conduct them along saidrollers 95 to their delivery at the forward end of thetrain.

There are important advantages of my track-laying apparatus as a wholethat should not be overlooked, due to the combining of thetie-transporting tramway with the means that are employed fortransporting lthe rails from the piles to the delivery end. of thetrain, the employment of a narrow-gage tramway, the location of both thetie and rail tramways at the center of width of the train, and thereduction of the tie-tramway to a narrow gage.

By the employment of a narrow-gage-tramway track at the center of thetrain and the location of the rail-tramway between the Atracksthereof'much valuable space for storing ties and rails, and thereforeincreasing the ca-pacity of the cars, is provided for and all outriggingat the sides of the cars entirely dispensed with.

A more important advantage from the employment of a narrow-gage tramwayat the center of width of the fiat-cars and the ar IOO IIO

rangement of the tie-tramway therein is that such tramways are subjectto the least possible distortion when the train is travelin g around acurve and also extension at all times, and as a resultit requires, ashas been shown and described, but a very few simple devices formaintaining a continuous tramway in the straightest possible lineconsistent with the movement of the flat-cars and enables the employmentof devices preventing any obstruction to the movement of the tie-'carsand the rails along the tramway when th'e'ad'jacent flat-cars are indiffering planes. Furthermore, such a tramway is cheaper inconstruction, is much quicker mounted upon and dismounted from the cars,and avoids the necessity of a large number of parts and pieces and alsocumbersome parts, such as tram-cars, timbers, and other devicesnecessary for use in track-laying machines in which either or both thetie-tramway or the railtramway is laid upon any other point upon thecars, and especially if either is arranged at and beyond the sidesthereof, as has heretofore been the common practice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a railway-track-laying apparatus the combination with thefiat-cars thereof, of a narrowgage-tramway track supported atsubstantially the center of width of said flatcars and a railroad-railtramway located between the rails of said tramway-track, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a railway-track-laying apparatus the combination with the tramwaythereof, of a loading car and a tie-loader consisting of angle-ironsbent to form one or more steps and supported from the trackway and theloading-car, substantially as set forth.

3. In a track-laying apparatus the combination with the tramway and theloading-car, a tie-loading device provided with one or more steps, oneend of which tie-loading device is supported from the tramway-rails andthe other end detachably secured to and supported from the loading-car,substantially as described.

4. The combination with a track-laying apparatus, of a tramway, atie-loading car running upon said tramway, a duplex tramway mounted uponthe fixed frame of said car, one member of which projects approximatelyhalf its length forward of said car, said tramway being provided withdepressions therein and a sliding frame provided witha forward andrearward set of wheels mounted upon said tramways the distance betweensaid set of wheels corresponding with the distance between said recesseswhereby when said sliding frame is moved forward said wheels will entersaid recesses and depress the sliding frame, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a track-layin g apparatus, of a tramway, atie-loading car running upon said tramway, a duplex tramway mounted uponthe fixed frame of said car, one member of which projects approximatelyhalf its length forward of said car, said tramways being provided withdepressions therein and a sliding frame provided with a forward andrearward set of wheels mounted upon said tramways, the distance betweensaid set of wheels corresponding with the distance between said recesseswhereby when said sliding frame is moved forward said wheels will entersaid recesses and depress the sliding frame, and stop devices againstwhich the side beams of said sliding frame abut and are limited in theirrearward movement, substantially as described.

6. In a track-laying apparatus the combination with the tramway thereof,of one 0r more tram-cars each provided with a tie-supporting slidingframe, a latch device toward one end of said car locking said fraineagainst accidental movement, means toward the other end of said caroperating said latch device :from the side of the car, and meansmaintaining said frame non-detachable from the car, substantially asdescr-ibed.

7. Ina track-laying apparatus the combination of the tramway thereof andone or more tram-cars traveling thereon, with a sliding frame supportedon said car, a latch device for locking said frame and car togethertoward their forward ends and a lever projecting from the side of thecar toward the rear end thereof for operating said latch, and a stoplimiting the movement of the sliding frame and preventing its detachmentfrom the car, substantially as described.

8. The combination ina track-laying apparatus and with the fixed frameof a tramwaycar, of a tie-supporting frame slidable on said iixed frame,a latch for locking said sliding frame against accidental movement, alever connected with said latch and projecting to or beyond the side ofthe car, a lug-29 on said lever anda stop 30 adapted to engage said lug,substantially as described.

9. In atrack-laying apparatus the combination with the fixed frame of atie-carrying car, a slidableframe mounted thereon, means connecting saidtwo frames whereby the slidable frame may be raised and lowered,standards pivoted to the slidable frame and detachably connected withthe fixed frame of the car and means for automatically releasingsaidstandards when the slidable frame is shifted from its Lipper to itslower position,

substantially as described.

10. In a track-laying apparatus the combination with a tie-carrying car,a slidable frame mounted thereon, devices for automaticallyraisingandloweringsaid slidable frame, a tie-holding standard pivoted tothe slidable frame and provided with a depending arm detachablyconnected with the fixed frame of the car and released therefrom by theforward movement of the slidable frame on the fixed frame and means forautomatically raising said depending arm and lowering said IOO IIO

standardbelow its operative position for holding ties on the slidingframe, substantially as described.

11. In a track-laying apparatus the combination with a loading-carhaving mounted thereon a trackway projecting forwardly beyond its frame,the under side of the forward end of said trackway being inclined, of acarrying-car provided with a sliding frame having rollers adapted toengage and lift the beveled ends of said projecting rails, substantiallyas described.

12. In a track-laying apparatus, a tie-supporting trestle embracing incombination two horses arranged upon opposite sides of the tramway-trackhaving bars provided with recesses, a slidable frame supported by saidbars, means for raising and lowering said slidable fraine on said bars,latches at the forward ends of said bars locking the slidable frame inits operative position, a dumpingcar and means for connecting saiddumpingcar with the latches and throwing them out of engagement,substantially as described.

13. In a track-laying apparatus a tie-trestle provided with bars havingdepressions therein and forming a trackway, a slidable frame mountedthereon and forming the support for ties, a latch device for locking theslidable frame in its elevated position in combination with adumping-car also having` a tie-supporting slidable frame, said slidableframe being provided with means adapted to engage and throw said latchesout of engagement, substantially as described.

14E. In a track-laying apparatus a tie-trestle provided with bars havingdepressions therein and forming a trackway, a slidable frame mountedthereon and forming the support for ties, a latch device for locking theslidable frame in its elevated position in combination with adumping-car also having a tie-supporting slidable frame, a bar securedto said slidable frame and adapted to simultaneously actuate anddisengage said latches, substantially as described.

15. In a track-laying apparatus a dumpingcar having a rigid wheel-frame,a sliding frame mounted thereon for supporting ties, standards pivotedto said sliding frame and provided with a depending arm adaptedto engagethe rigid frame or stops thereon, whereby the standard is maintained inan upright position during said engagement but released when the slidingframe makes its forward movement, substantially as described.

16. In a railway-track-laying apparatus a rigid wheel-frame, a slidingframe of greater length mounted thereon, the angle-plate 71 and bars 72locking said frames against lateral and vertical displacement andadapted to limit the forward movement of the sliding frame, pivotedstandards therefor which are automatically disengaged from the ties whenthe sliding frame moves forward upon the rigid frame and means securedto the tramway of said car whereby the wheel-frame is stopped at theforward end of the tramway and the momentum of the sliding frame causesit to move forward to a position that the gravity thereof will elevatethe rear ends, depress the forward ends of both the sliding frame andthe wheel-frame, and dump the load of ties upon the road-bed,substantially as described.

17. In a track-laying apparatus the pioneercar comprising in combinationan ordinary 'flat-car, a trussed framework provided with side sillsprojecting forwardly beyond said car, a narrow-gage-tramway track at thecenter of width of said cars, elevated above said sills and a tramwayfor rails between said trackways but in a plane substantially below therails thereof whereby ties may be delivered over the upper tramway uponthe roadbed without the tie-tramway obstructing the delivery ofrailroad-rails from theirtramway to said road-bed, substantially asdescribed.

18. In a track-laying apparatus a pioneercar comprising in combinationan ordinary dat-car, a trussed extension projecting forwardly beyond thesame provided with side sills, a narrow-gage tie-tramway at the centerof width and extending the length of said car and extension but elevatedabove the side sills of the latter, a rail-tramway consisting of rollersarranged in a plane with or below said sills and duplex rollers upon arigid axle secured at or near the outer end of said sills and havingindependent actions and free outer ends which rollers form supports forrails after they have cleared the end of the flat-car and providingmeans for the delivery of said rails to their operative position on theties of the road bed, substantially as described.

19. In a tramway for track-laying apparatus the combination with therails upon adjacent cars, of angle-irons bolted in pairs to the opposingends of said rails and projecting beyond the same, of a track connectionhaving a tread and its extremities, a web or flange respectivelyprojecting between and supported by said angle-irons whereby saidconnection may move longitudinally and vibrate upon said angle-irons,substantially as described.

20. In a tramway for track-laying apparatus the combination with therails upon adjacent cars, of angle-irons bolted in pairs to the opposingends of said rails and projecting beyond the same, of a track connectionhaving a tread and its extremities, a web or iiange respectivelyprojecting between and supported by said angle-irons whereby saidconnection may move longitudinally and vibrate upon said angle-irons,said track connection having its extremities bent downwardly at an anglewith reference to its tread between said extremities whereby the treadbetween the rail connection and the fiat-car rails is maintained in acontinuous and uninterrupted plane, substantially as described.

21. In a tramway for track-laying apparatus the combination with therails upon ad- ICO IIO

jacent cars, of angle-irons bolted in pairs thereto and projectingbeyond the ends of the same, of a trackway connection between theopposing ends Of said rails provided with a downwardly-inclined tread atits extremities and with a ange projecting between said angle-irons, thebody of said connection having a telescoping construction providing forthe contractibility and expausibility thereof and a continuation of theconnection between the car-rails, substantially as described.

22. In a track-laying apparatus the combination with a railroad-railtramway consisting of rollers, with an incline plane or wedge at therear of the rear roller on each of said cars, the upper end of whichincline is in a plane below the top of said rollers, substantially asdescribed.

23. In a track-laying apparatus the combination with the flat-carsthereof, Ot' a railroadrail tramway mounted thereon and consisting of anumber of rollers arranged transversely at intervals of the length ofsaid cars with the end roller or rollers in a plane below the plane ofthe other rollers, substantially as described.

24. In a traclvlaying apparatus a tramway having in combinationrailssupportiug ties and rails, said ties being cut away to depress thetread of the rails to the surface of said ties whereby railway-rails maybe lowered without obstruction over and upon the railtramway between thetracks of the tieitram way, substantially as described.

25. In a track-laying apparatus the combination with the tramwaythereof, of stepL blocks corresponding in height substantially to halfthe height of a railroad-rail whereby said rail may be engaged with androlled up said step and over the tramway-rail without bodily lifting thesame, substantially as de scribed.

26. In a track-laying apparatus the combination with the tramwaythereof, of a raillifter comprising one or more levers pivoted at oneend to the ties of said tramway and provided with a crossbar or rollerupon which railroad-rails to be lifted are supported and elevated toaline two rails for the attacha ment of their fish-joint, substantiallyas described.

GEORGE F. I-I. HICKS.

lVitnesses:

EDNA B. JOHNSON, JNo. G. ELLIOTT.

